NorthStar Social Screening Policy Statement

At NorthStar Asset Management, Inc.®, our work is as much about social activism as it is about financial management. To that end, create individualized portfolios for our clients paying special attention to criteria each client sets. Social screens, both negative and positive, are as individual as each client. NorthStar portfolio advisors strive to achieve a balance between a client's social concerns and her or his financial objectives.

In examining companies, NorthStar looks at:

PRODUCT ISSUES
We seek out companies with safe, reliable products. We do not invest in companies that produce weapons, tobacco, alcohol, or nuclear power. We do not invest in gambling. We avoid companies with bad product safety records.

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
We watch for companies that treat their employees well by offering equal treatment in hiring, promotion and pay, family friendly benefits, same sex partner benefits, healthcare and retirement benefits, profit sharing and comprehensive anti-discrimination policies. We look at CEO compensation levels in relation to their lower paid employees.

ENVIRONMENT RECORD
We monitor a company’s environmental record and sustainability policy. We look at a company’s pollution levels, number of Superfund sites, its use of toxic chemicals, and its reaction to global warming issues. We choose not to invest in oil, chemical, or nuclear power companies. We watch for companies that implement innovative environmental programs.

HUMAN RIGHTS
We monitor human rights issues such as child labor, forced labor, and the use of slave labor. We avoid companies that do business in politically volatile countries. We look for companies that willingly sign on to international subcontractor monitoring programs and comply with human rights standards.

Investor Principles & Statements
NorthStar monitors signatory lists signed by corporations that agree to adhere to specific criterion. Examples of these lists include: the CERES Principles (environmental standards), the MacBride Principles (worker rights in Northern Ireland), and the China Principles (labor issues within China). We support investor statements such as the Freedom of Expression & the Internet that urges internet companies to reconsider their role in Chinese censorship and the Guidelines for Retail Store Siting which urges companies to consider the impact of building large “big box” retailers’ stores on the community and the land it occupies.

In addition, we are able to examine other specific issues such as gay/lesbian rights, corporate giving and citizenship, animal rights, reproductive rights and others as clients' concerns warrant.

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